A Sorta Fairytale
by silent-five
Summary: AU. Based on the crazy acid dream thing that Locke had in Further Instructions 3x03. Mostly from Charlie's POV.


_And I'm so sad__  
__like a good book I can't put this day back__  
__A sorta fairytale with you__  
__A sorta fairytale with you..._

TITLE: A Sorta Fairytale  
AUTHOR: Jessa the Phantom Fangirl  
RATING: G  
SUMMARY: A/U - Based on the crazy acid dream thing that Locke had in Further Instructions (3x03). Mostly from Charlie's POV.  
DISCLAIMERS: Charlie, Claire and LOST belong to ABC. "A Sorta Fairytale" is a song by Tori Amos.  
FEEDBACK: Yes please? I need it to live!  
DEDICATION: Dedicated to Dom and Emilie because they are cuteness personified, both together and separately.  
Author's note: This is just a short one-shot that I just had to write after seeing the ep cause domestic C/C is too sweet. This fic is pretty much plotless fluff.

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Claire made a noise of frustration as she checked her diamond wrist watch for what felt like the thousandth time. She stomped her foot impatiently and craned her neck to peer up the stairs in her and her husband's large home. Unfortunately, she saw no glimpse of Charlie. Finally she yelled up the stairs.

"Chaaarlie! We're gonna be late and if we miss that flight I will kill you!" She tried to sound as intimidating as her sweet Australian accent would allow. 

Immediately, Charlie's head appeared, hanging over the banister.

"Yes dear," he replied cheekily. Claire smiled in spite of herself before remembering that she was supposed to be angry. Not a moment later, Charlie stumbled down the steps carrying not only a large suitcase but also their infant son, Aaron. Claire swooped in to snatch Aaron away before Charlie tripped and fell on him or something equally disastrous happened. Then she rushed out of the house to their waiting jeep without a glance back at Charlie. He dutifully followed of course, pausing to lock up the front door before throwing their last suitcase in the trunk. 

Seconds after he had situated himself in front of the steering wheel, Claire gasped, whacking her forehead with her hand. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"What'd you forget?" he asked.

Claire shot him a look and answered, her voice almost inaudiable, "My purse... with the tickets in it."

Charlie released a short breath that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle and quipped," And you were getting all shirty about me taking forever-" Claire cut him off. She clearly wasn't in the mood for commentary from the peanut gallery.

"Could you just go get it, please?" she pleaded in a tone that suggested he'd better do what she was asking or risk incurring her wrath. Charlie rolled his eyes once again and belligerently stomped back towards the house, muttering something about being "merely a slave". While he was gone, Claire made sure Aaron was secure in his car seat.

It wasn't long before Charlie located her purse and they were on their way to the airport, only going slightly above the speed limit.

- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- - ♥

Claire burst through the glass double doors of the airport. Charlie was close on her heels with a cart full of their luggage and baby paraphernalia. They didn't get very far, however, as the lobby was packed with people. Claire groaned and bounced a surprisingly well-behaved Aaron in her arms. Leaning on the handle of the cart, Charlie sighed. He hated airports. Claire looked around for the correct desk to go to, fishing through her purse for the tickets. After a moment she gestured towards a fairly long line and they went to stand in it behind an Asian couple who were having a heated conversation. Claire busied herself with Aaron while Charlie stood idly by, fiddling with his jacket and humming a song he'd written the day before.

On the outside, he appeared very calm and collected, perhaps even bored but inside he could feel his excitement building. The whole reason they were going to spend a week in Los Angeles was because he'd landed a deal with a record company to record a solo album. It was a goal he'd been working towards all his life and finally, it was happening. The feeling was almost overwhelming, but certainly not in a negative way. Looking at his life right now, even as he stood in the middle of a crowded, stuffy airport, he was taken with a sense of gratitude.

His eyes were drawn to his short but gorgeous wife and his son and his face involuntarily lit up. It was weird because five years ago, if someone had told him this would be where he'd end up, he probably would have laughed in their face. Back then, his life was all drugs and the night life. Then he'd met Claire. The memory always made him smile. He could recall his first glimpse of her in perfect detail and knew that he'd be able to as long as he lived. He watched her now, beaming as Aaron reached up and fiddled with a strand of her long, golden hair.

He was so deep in thought about Claire that he didn't even register that she was trying to get his attention.

"Charlie!" she called, waving her free hand in front of his face. His eyes went back into focus as he came back down to earth. He shook his head to clear it.

"Yeah?" he finally said. Claire looked at him curiously.

"Are you alright?" she asked slowly. Charlie grinned and moved to her side, leaving a lingering kiss on her cheek.

"Luv, I've never been better."

Charlie wasn't one for fairytales, but even he had to admit that his life was about as close as you could get. And the best part? His happy ending was just beginning.

THE END ♥

_I could pick back up whenever I feel..._


End file.
